BWI Airport Opens Expansion Just in Time for Holiday Flights

HANOVER, MD – Parts of a $125 expansion project at Baltimore/Washington International Airport to add international airline capacity and new passenger services, including a security checkpoint for both domestic and international passengers, has opened just before the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

Finishing work on the terminal will continue through early 2017. Additional new concessions and new restrooms will be added, while the former security checkpoints for the D and E concourses will be decommissioned. BWI Marshall is the 22nd busiest airport in the United States.

The project includes a new eight-lane security checkpoint for screening domestic and international travelers, new food and retail concessions, the construction of a new secure connector between Concourse D and the international Concourse E, and the configuration of airline gates to support added international service. Airport customers also will enjoy a new children’s play area and an outdoor patio space with airfield views.

State and airport officials had pushed for the expansion to capitalize on increasing global travel. BWI should attract growing low-cost airlines from its large surrounding market. An aviation consultant told the Baltimore Business Journal that government-subsidized carriers based near the Persian Gulf and those in newer markets like China offers many destinations and more travelers set to be served by airlines offering cheap tickets.

“BWI is an important transportation resource, a crucial economic development engine, and an invaluable asset for our state,” said Gov. Larry Hogan, who was at the airport Tuesday morning with state transportation leaders to celebrate the project milestone. “With this major terminal enhancement project, we are improving and modernizing BWI for our customers, providing new opportunities for expanded international air service, and setting the stage for even more future development. These upgrades are absolutely vital as we continue to support a growing airport and a growing Maryland economy.”

The improvements give BWI the facilities to continue attracting international travelers from Maryland and the National Capital region, said Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn. He applauded the BWI Marshall Airport team for their efforts to open the new D/E Connector by Thanksgiving, ensuring the region’s busiest airport will be prepared for one of the heaviest travel periods of the year.

BWI Marshall has set records for passenger traffic in the past two years, with new airlines and flights to new markets. In 2015, BWI Airport set a new all-time annual record with nearly 24 million passengers. Strong growth has continued this year, with 15-straight monthly passenger records through September 2016.

The D/E Connector project also includes a gallery featuring art created by regional artists. A five-member jury panel of local educators selected the art during a recent competition. A total of 581 entries were received during the contest, and 28 pieces were selected for the exhibition space.

Commercial airline service at the airport includes more than 300 daily nonstop departures and flights to 80 domestic and international destinations. The airport generates and supports about 98,000 jobs in the region, $7 billion in business revenue, and $3.8 billion in personal income.

»Photos of BWI expansion opening from the office of Gov. Larry Hogan